i love the m3's DCT, one of my favorite transmissions out there. The SMG in the higher M-cars can get on your nerves at some times but i find it very fun to play with and like it myself. It's all personal preference at the end of the day though...

 

I had an E46 M3 with SMG so my wife could drive it. Took over a year to learn to drive it smoothly. In 3 years she never drove it once. Went back to manuals... The M3 has about the lightest clutch on the planet - no sweat even in traffic. A far cry from a 997 clutch - although I certainly liked that tranny a lot better ;-).

 

I have an 06 650i with SMG and the wife and I both absolutely hate the SMG transmission when it is in auto mode. The transmission is extremely jerky when driving at slow speeds. When the car is in manual mode we both love it. Would I buy a BMW with SMG again, no way, not unless they make some major improvements

 

Drove the 08M3 DCT- very smooth car, just need a bit more space. this M5 was also a bit beat looking with only cardiac history- just didn't get the vibe from it.

In the meantime enjoying the 996tt for the DD.

 

i drive my M5 as a DD, my mother HATES it but my father and i love it. at low speads the smg can be a little jerky but once your upthere at high revs its a dream. i personally dont think the jerking is bad after driving it a few times you kinda figure out how to drive it much better than a manual and can actualy be smoother than a regular automatic